This article corrects the time period of the event.
The Muslim Student Association participated in Palestinian Awareness Week with a large model wall on the lawn in front of the bookstore on Monday.
Palestinian Awareness Week is an annual event every spring that addresses the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Muslim Student Association (MSA) members stood near the wall to talk to students and answer any questions they may have about the long-enduring conflict.
“The entire purpose of the event is just to raise awareness toward a situation that has existed for so long and that people may not know about,” MSA treasurer Ahmed Shabaik said.
Palestinians have been searching for self-determination as they have been fighting Israeli occupation. Israelis have struggled to maintain peace in a place they see as the land of their forefathers. Over the years the negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis has resulted in little progress.
Shabaik also said that many of the students on campus are unaware of the issues in the region and don’t know much about what’s going on.
“You’ll be amazed by the number of people who aren’t even aware of what Palestine is,” Shabaik said.
He went on to say that this model wall was built eight years ago and has been used every year since then for this event.
Elton Adricula, freshman biology major at Cal State Long Beach, said he feels the Israeli and Palestinian conflict should be discussed more.
“I don’t know too much about it, but I feel this is an issue that needs to be more visible and addressed in a more open and apparent manner,” Adricula said.
The event will continue until Thursday. Today, Osama Shabaik, a recent graduate from UC Irvine, will speak on the struggle for social justice on the speakers platform in front of the bookstore from 12-1 p.m.
Osama Shabaik has toured the nation speaking on the struggle for social justice, according to MSA Events Coordinator Monzer El-Kassen.
“We’re hoping he will talk about what’s going on in the Arab spring because that is also a struggle for social justice,” El-Kassen said. “What happens with the Arab spring will affect what happens with Palestine.”